Q: Can you see Luol Deng opting in but then being packaged in a trade for another first-round round pick. With the first Top 10 pick we could draft a talented, young, athletic, defensive wing who can shoot from behind the arc like Stanley Johnson, Kelly Oubre, Mario Hezonja, or Justise Winslow. We could then use the second first-round pick to draft a talented big who will defend and rebound. -- Ben.

A: First, the NBA Draft is June 25, with Deng's out-opt deadline afterward. That is why most players wait to decide on their options until the 11th hour, so they can retain such a upper hand. Also, with so much said about "Heat family," and amid the team's desire to sign future free agents, I don't think the Heat ever would operate with such a "gotcha" approach. Beyond all of that, the Heat need Deng. Because of where the Heat's salary-cap situation stands, should Goran Dragic re-sign, the Heat would have nothing other than the mid-level exception to use to replace Deng should he opt out. As with so many of the questions sent in this direction regarding Dwyane Wade, the reality is that Deng had a quality season, put up the type of numbers expected, and was efficient in his time on the court. The real concern, beyond health, would be how many years out the Heat would go should Deng opt-out and then look to sign a new deal with the Heat, which could go for as many as four years. Deng is not the problem. But he could be part of a solution when it comes to a turnaround from this previous season.

Q: People talk about the Heat power rotation like it's so deep. Really you have three good players in Chris Bosh, Hassan Whiteside, and Josh McRoberts. Then you have a solid backup in Chris Andersen, and then there's Udonis Haslem. If any of those guys go down with some sort of injury for even a few games the depth there is basically screwed. It would mean Birdman starting, UD playing center (he's not one), or Whiteside, Bosh or McRoberts playing the entire game. -- Jeremy Miami.

A: First of all, if you have three quality pieces in your power rotation, then you have a quality power rotation. With Whiteside, Bosh and McRoberts, the Heat arguably would have their deepest power trio since Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mourning . . . and dare we say Antoine Walker? When it comes to fourth and fifth wheels, you could do a lot worse than Birdman and Haslem. With depth in front of him, Andersen won't be pushed into bigger minutes, as he was this past season. And Haslem as the fifth wheel can be the type of emergency player you mention. If you're worried about the Heat's power rotation when two players are out, well, then you're looking at problems that provide no easy answer, as was the case this past season with Bosh and McRoberts.

Q: The competition in the East is meh. -- Allen.

A: Can't argue, although you certainly could make an argument that injuries are a big factor, with Kevin Love out for the Cavaliers, Thabo Sefolosha out for the Hawks, John Wall dealing with his latest ailment, Joakim Noah clearly not 100 percent and Kyle Lowry seemingly dealing with something in Toronto over the second half of the season. And that's not even getting to the injuries that kept the Heat and Pacers out of the playoffs. But that's what the NBA has become, especially the playoffs: a battle of attrition. And it's not just the East, with Mike Conley injury situation in the West, the Rockets without Patrick Beverley and Donatas Motiejunas, and the Clippers dealing with Chris Paul's issue.